Special City Commission Meeting on City Manager Search Process - May 12, 2025
Special City Commission Meeting – City Manager Search Process
On May 12, 2025, the Sarasota City Commission held a special meeting at City Hall beginning at 1:30 PM to receive direction on the process for recruiting the next City Manager. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Liz Alpert and adjourned at 3:03 PM. All five commissioners were present. The discussion focused on selecting a consultant to guide the search, establishing a timeline, identifying essential characteristics of the next City Manager, and considering an interim replacement for the current Interim City Manager, whose service was expected to end in September.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kelly Franklin (online) urged commissioners to seek a City Manager who demonstrates humility, candor, and a willingness to learn from mistakes, and who agrees to uphold all 12 tenets of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Code of Ethics.
Discussion Items
- City Manager Search Process – City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs and City Attorney Joseph Polzak presented six topics for commission guidance: process and timeline for selecting a search firm, commission involvement, budget and scope, essential qualifications, review of charter duties, and authorization to use city staff.
- First Step: Consultant – Commissioners agreed that staff should research and bring forward a consultant (not a search firm initially). The consultant would then help identify three search firms for the commission to interview. The commission will select the consultant themselves, not delegate that decision.
- Commission Involvement – Commissioners expressed a desire to be fully involved in every stage, including reviewing search firm proposals via Zoom meetings or in open session.
- Timeline – The commission established a target of selecting a consultant at the July 7, 2025 regular meeting (the July 1st date was mentioned but minutes confirm July 7). Placeholders for search firm reviews were tentatively set for the second July meeting and, if needed, the first August meeting.
- Essential Characteristics for the Next City Manager – Each commissioner shared their prioritized list. Common themes included: senior municipal government experience, strong leadership and communication skills, financial acumen, ethical integrity, experience with coastal/seasonal communities, and the ability to work collaboratively with a diverse population and the commission. Vice Mayor Trice suggested organizing criteria into “mandatory,” “highly desirable,” and “deal breakers.” The mayor emphasized the importance of vision and a diplomatic leadership style.
- Interim City Manager – Given that Interim City Manager Douglas Jeffcoat had initially agreed to stay through September for the budget process, commissioners discussed the possibility of appointing a new interim sooner. Commissioner Battie mentioned Dave Bullock as a potential candidate. The commission reached consensus to add a “Change to the Orders of the Day” to the May 19 regular meeting to discuss appointing a new interim City Manager.
- Other Matters – Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson reported that Suncoast Charities for Children would not host the July 4 fireworks; a new nonprofit was being sought and a permit application had not yet been submitted. Commissioner Ahearn-Koch requested an update on the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting conflict; it was noted that the May 19 meeting time (9 AM) could not be changed, but the October 20 meeting could be moved to 1 PM, subject to future commission approval.
Key Outcomes
- Consensus on Search Process: Staff will research consultants and bring a list to the commission for selection at the July 7, 2025 regular meeting. The selected consultant will then help identify three search firms for commission interviews.
- Timeline for Selection: Consultant selection targeted for July 7; search firm review placeholders set for July and August regular meetings.
- Essential Qualifications: The commission’s initial lists will be compiled and used to guide the consultant and search firm. The consultant will help finalize the criteria.
- Interim City Manager Discussion: The May 19 meeting will include an item to discuss appointing a new interim City Manager, possibly Dave Bullock, with the aim of having that person in place quickly to participate in the budget process.
- City Manager Candidates Encouraged to Reapply: The commission directed staff to send a communication to all previous applicants, encouraging them to reapply under the new process.
- Authorization for Staff Support: The commission formally acknowledged that the City Auditor and Clerk and the City Attorney will use the Interim City Manager’s staff (HR, finance, procurement) as needed, with the Interim City Manager’s full support.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, everyone. I want to call to order this uh Monday, May 12th, 2025 special city commission meeting. And uh we'll begin with the invocation by the city auditoring clerk griggs. Please stand. Heavenly Father, we affirm our faith in thee. We seek your divine strength, wisdom, and guidance in the deliberations that affect the lives of each of the citizens of our community. In that name we pray, amen. All right, and Commissioner Aaron Koch, would you lead us in the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all okay. And do we have a uh um motion on the proposed agenda schedule? So moved. Um we have our proposed agenda schedule and also too, if you don't mind asking the mayor, do we have any changes to the order of the day as well? Okay, yeah, that was the next one. Okay, next okay. All right, second. Okay, uh Commissioner Batti moved approval of the proposed agenda schedule. Commissioner A. Her and Kotch seconded if you'll vote, Commissioners. Is that your vote? Yes, yes, passes unanimously. Now, are there any changes to the order of the day? No, Mayor. I gotta put on the record. Good. Thank you. Thank you. All right, uh citizens input. Uh do we have anybody that's speaking on anything other than the issue at hand? No, we just have um public input for the or the item. All right, then we'll move uh directly to item two one. Um regarding the city manager process, and I'm gonna call upon the city auditoring clerk and the city attorney uh to make the presentation. Okay, thank you. Um good afternoon, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners. Um, just want to give a little bit of a brief introduction for myself and um Mr. Polzett. Um the purpose of today's item is to receive direction from the commission regarding how the city manager recruitment process will be conducted as part of this discussion. We seek your input on several key topics, including the selection process for the professional search firm, defining the commission's involvement in that selection, establishing a budget and scope of work, identifying essential qualifications and characteristics for the next city manager, reviewing the duties outlined in the city charter, and considering authorization for the city auditor and clerk and city attorney to use the city manager staff support throughout this process. This discussion with your guidance will help establish a clear and transparent effective framework moving forward, and key topics for a commission input, including process structure, selection criteria, involvement levels, budget, job expectations, and staffing. So we'll go ahead and get started here. I'll let Mr. Um City Attorney Polzak chime in as well. Sure. Thank you, Commission. And um, as the clerk said, we do have some topics in the agenda that we'd ask you to address. Um is mentioned briefly, you know, the process timeline and criteria for the search firm selection, the commission's involvement in that, um, what level of involvement you do want to have, the budget and scope of work for the firm, if that's the direction you are deciding to go. The essential characteristics and criteria, at least a discussion or a beginning discussion of that, what you'd like to task the search firm with searching for in a in a candidate. Um again, keeping in mind the city charter and the duties that are dictated in that for the city manager. And then as we're charter officials and ourselves, what authority you want to designate for us to I know the city manager's made it clear he's offered the full support of his staff in this endeavor, but um as we report to you just having your involvement and directing that authority, and just it's more so for you all as well to know that you know, and you be aware that we will need to use the city manager's staff to help with this process regarding finance procurement, HR as well. And Mr. Jeff Co has uh stated that everybody's at our disposal, but we just want to make sure the commission is good and aware of that as well.
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